In a significant move aimed at improving safety standards in educational institutions, the Supreme Court on Friday directed a high-level committee appointed by the Union government to submit interim safety measures within four weeks. This directive comes in the wake of the tragic deaths of three IAS aspirants at a coaching centre in Old Rajendra Nagar, New Delhi, which was flooded during heavy rainfall in July.
The bench, consisting of Justices Surya Kant and Ujjal Bhuyan, also instructed the governments of Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, and Delhi to report on the policy, legislative, and administrative changes they have implemented to prevent similar disasters. The justices emphasized the need for uniform safety initiatives across the entire National Capital Region to avoid another incident like the one at Rau’s IAS Study Circle.
“If the need arises, we will pass directions for pan-India to prevent Old Rajendra Nagar-type incidents,” the bench stated, highlighting the urgency of addressing these safety concerns on a broader scale.
The tragic event took place on July 27 when three civil services aspirants drowned in the basement library of Rau’s IAS Study Circle following torrential rains that led to severe flooding. The victims were identified as Shreya Yadav, 25, from Uttar Pradesh, Tanya Soni, 25, from Telangana, and Nevin Delvin, 24, from Kerala.
This incident spurred the Supreme Court to take a strong stance against unsafe educational facilities, labeling coaching centers as “death chambers” that jeopardize the lives of students. On August 5, the court issued notices to the Centre and the Delhi government to enforce stricter compliance with fire safety and other essential norms.
The court’s attention to this matter was initially drawn while addressing a plea by an association of coaching centers, which challenged a December 2023 Delhi High Court order. The Delhi High Court had mandated inspections of all coaching centers in the city to ensure adherence to fire safety standards. Rejecting the plea as frivolous, the Supreme Court imposed a fine of Rs 1 lakh on the association and reiterated that no coaching center should operate without strict compliance with safety norms.
Further, the investigation into the deaths has been transferred from the Delhi Police to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) by the High Court to maintain public trust in the investigative process.
